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. 2011 Jan;116(1):81-95.
doi: 10.1352/1944-7558-116.1.81.

Marital satisfaction and parenting experiences of mothers and fathers of adolescents and adults with autism

Sigan L Hartley  1 , Erin T Barker, Marsha Mailick Seltzer, Jan S Greenberg, Frank J Floyd
Affiliations

Marital satisfaction and parenting experiences of mothers and fathers of adolescents and adults with autism

Sigan L Hartley et al. Am J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2011 Jan.

Abstract

The association of marital satisfaction with parenting burden and quality of the parent?child relationship was examined in 91 married mothers and fathers of co-residing adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Within-couple differences between mothers and fathers in how child characteristics related to these parenting experiences were also evaluated. Multilevel modeling was used to control for the dependency in couple data. Marital satisfaction was an important predictor of parenting experiences, particularly for fathers. Mothers reported feeling closer to their son or daughter than did fathers. Fathers' parenting experiences were more strongly impacted by child characteristics than were mothers' parenting experiences. Results emphasized the connection between the marital relationship and parenting experiences and overlapping but unique experiences of mothers and fathers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Interaction of parent gender and health of son or daughter with an autism spectrum disorder in predicting parenting burden.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Interaction of parent gender andmartial satisfaction in predicting perceptions of emotional closeness in the parent–child relationship.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Interaction of parent gender and age of the son or daughter with an autism spectrum disorder in predicting perceptions of emotional closeness in the parent–child relationship
Figure 4
Figure 4
Interaction of parent gender and time spent out of the family home by the son or daughter with an autism spectrum disorder in predicting perceptions of emotional closeness in the parent–child relationship.
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